Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi said in Beijing Tuesday that her country will further enhance medical aid to developing nations and improve health cooperation with them.  

In 1963, China sent its first medical team abroad to Algeria, when it was amid its hard struggle to tackle its own financial and economic problems.

After more than 20 years of economic reform, China has improved its economy greatly. "But our friendship with developing nations and sense of international responsibility won't change," said Wu at a commemoration to mark the 40th anniversary of its overseas medical program.

Wu asked Chinese health and financial departments to attach great importance to the work with their foreign medical aid service and further improve relevant polices to ensure the smooth operation of the program.

Gao Qiang, executive vice minister of health, said that China has sent over 18,000 medical staff for overseas aid programs during the past four decades, covering 65 countries and regions in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe and Oceania.

"Six hundred and thirteen Chinese medical staff have been awarded honors by the countries they worked in and 45 members laid down their lives at their posts," Gao said.

He said that China currently still has 42 medical teams with about 1,100 staff working overseas in 40 foreign countries.

Thirty medical teams and 100 team members were awarded at the commemoration for their superb performance by the Chinese Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Commerce.

(Xinhua News Agency December 3, 2003)